Caterham sells out of supercars

All of the £115,000 plus Caterham-based Levante supercars scheduled for production have been sold.
Launched in Spring 2008, the Levante is the most powerful production Caterham ever.
Only eight are being hand-built by Hertfordshire-based RS Performance in association with Caterham Cars.
The Levante boasts RS Performance's unique, in-house designed supercharged 500+bhp 2.4 litre V8 engine, housed in a modified version of the lightweight Caterham SV chassis.

With close to 1000bhp-per-tonne, the figure is nearly double that of the Bugatti Veyron.
With its modern and aggressive interpretation of the Seven's classic looks, the Levante possesses a sophisticated electronics package, including traction and launch control.

All new owners of Caterham RS models are required to attend a two-day advanced driving course on delivery of their machines.
Caterham sales & marketing director, Andy Noble, commented: "The fact that all eight Levantes have been sold so quickly comes as no surprise.

"Over the last 51 years, the Seven has created and met the demand for those searching for the purest form of driving available.
"For drivers looking for the ultimate, the Levante facilitates that by taking Colin Chapman's original design to a staggering new level."

In parallel to the success of the Caterham RS Levante, Caterham Cars enjoyed one of its best ever sales periods this summer thanks to the arrival of the critically acclaimed Superlight R500 and the expansion of the Academy race series from two to three grids for the 2009 season.
For more information visit www.caterham.co.uk, www.rsperformance.co.uk or call 01883 333 700.

Take a Ride Back in Time With these Classic Cars

Remember Euclid Beach event, members of the Cleveland Classics Car Club displayed a few dozen of their beautiful historic autos.

Here are some photos of the classic cars
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster




1960 Metropolitan

Take a Ride Back in Time With these Classic Cars

Remember Euclid Beach event, members of the Cleveland Classics Car Club displayed a few dozen of their beautiful historic autos.

Here are some photos and 2 short videos of the classic cars
1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster




1960 Metropolitan

10 cheapest cars to drive

With economic fears seeming to compound daily, the burden of a new car may be the last thing you want. But buying a car doesn't have to put too much of a damper on your finances if you consider the price you'll pay in the long run for repairs, maintenance, fuel and financing.

Use Bankrate's interactive tool to decide if leasing or buying is best for you.

While hybrid vehicles may save you money on gas, consumers looking for a good deal should also consider inexpensive compact nonhybrid cars, says Joe Spina, industry analyst for Edmunds.com.

Information is key to making a wise choice, says Spina. Here's a look at the 10 cars that will make the smallest dent on your wallet. The expense figures are the national averages calculated by Edmunds.com over a five-year period.

1. Honda Fit

MSRP: From $13,950

Taxes and fees: $1,336 Depreciation: $9,172 Finance interest: $2,870 Insurance: $7,021 Fuel cost: $10,297 Maintenance: $2,885 Repairs: $654
Total: $34,235

2. Chevrolet Aveo

MSRP: From $11,460

Taxes and fees: $1,183

Depreciation: $8,979

Finance interest: $2,386

Insurance: $7,021

Fuel cost: $10,809

Maintenance: $3,567

Repairs: $713

Total: $34,656

3. Hyundai Accent

MSRP: From $10,775

Taxes and fees: $1,215

Depreciation: $9,326

Finance interest: $2,314

Insurance: $7,724

Fuel cost: $10,863

Maintenance: $2,724

Repairs: $569

Total: $34,375

13-year-old Willard boy injured while driving SUV

A 13-year-old Willard boy who was driving an SUV on Missouri 38 in Webster County was taken to Cox Hospital in Springfield after crashing the vehicle.
According to a report from the Missouri Highway Patrol, Tyee Vause, 13, was driving east on Missouri 38, about three miles south of Elkland when the vehicle overturned.
The accident happened around 4:15 p.m. today, according to a report from the patrol.
Tyee suffered moderate injuries. He was wearing a seat belt.
Since Oct. 12 the Highway Patrol’s Troop D has responded to three accidents involving 13-year-old boys driving SUVs or cars on public roads.
On Oct. 12 an Aurora boy suffered serious injuries after crashing into a pole. He had been driving on County Road 1210 in Lawrence County, according to the accident report from the patrol. The boy invovled in that crash was not wearing a seat belt.
Also on Oct. 12, another 13-year-old driver crashed an SUV in Taney County. He and a passenger suffered moderate injuries, but another passenger, 13-year-old Draven Cathcard, died. None of the boys in that crash had been wearing seat belts.
Cathcard was thrown from the vehicle after it overturned on Drury Road.

Auto sales slowdown continues in October

October is shaping up to be as miserable a month for automakers as September, according to industry analysts, as lenders tighten financing standards and many consumers steer clear of showrooms because of the weakening economy.

Tom Libby, senior director for industry analysis at J.D. Power & Associates' Power Information Network, which monitors car sales on a weekly basis, said sales in the first week of October were "very, very weak," much like in September, when industry sales sank to a 15-year low.

Plummeting sales mean Detroit's automakers are burning through their cash reserves faster, forcing them to consider ways of maintaining enough liquidity to weather the downturn. GM, for example, has been in talks with Chrysler about a possible merger for about a month. The industry's woes have extended beyond Detroit. Toyota is trying to help October sales with no-interest financing offers on 11 models after September sales fell 32 percent.

But those deals, and the myriad other big discounts available right now, appear to be doing little to stimulate sales. Edmunds.com, a Web site that gives car-buying advice to consumers, said the number of visitors who intended to purchase a vehicle soon was 20 percent lower in early October than in early September. That is double the usual decline going into October, which is among the worst months for automakers.

One analyst, Rod Lache of Deutsche Bank, estimated Tuesday that October sales would be down 30 percent to an annualized rate of 11 million vehicles, a rate last seen in 1983. He projected GM's sales to be down as much as 50 percent after its employee discount sale ended in September.

"Developments in the credit markets will have broad negative implications for auto sales in the months ahead," he wrote in a note to clients.

Vehicle sales in the U.S. fell 27 percent in September, making it the first month since 1993 when buyers drove fewer than 1 million new cars and trucks off dealership lots.

"The economy continues to weaken, and the job market is continuing to contract," said George Pipas, Ford Motor Co.'s chief sales analyst. "Our expectation is that as we move to the fourth quarter that we'll see sales rates similar to what we saw in the third quarter and in September."

Toyota says market worsening, U.S. outlook weak

The president of Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said the business environment has deteriorated beyond earlier expectations and predicted the key North American car market would remain sluggish through next year.
Katsuaki Watanabe told reporters that he was worried the financial market turmoil originating in the United States was starting to impact economies worldwide. Demand in emerging markets has been slower than expected, he said.
"In the past week, what started in the U.S. spread across the world," Watanabe said.
A company source told Reuters last week that the world's largest automaker was considering what would be a rare downward revision of its earnings outlook because of sluggish global demand and a firmer yen.
Watanabe said that the business environment had worsened beyond expectations when the company announced first quarter earnings two months ago, but that it was still assessing the impact.

Watanabe said that Toyota now expects conditions in the U.S. market to remain tough throughout 2009, instead of recovering from spring of next year as originally thought.

"I think things will be tough through all of next year," he said.

UAW chief says he would oppose GM-Chrysler merger

United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger says he would oppose a merger between General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC because it would cost workers their jobs.

Gettelfinger says the union has not had formal discussions with either automaker about a merger. Speaking on a political Webcast run by WWJ-AM in Detroit on Tuesday, he said there's no question such a merger would mean job losses.

He says the union has done a lot to help Detroit's automakers survive by giving health care concessions in 2005 and with a new contract last year that reduced costs.